Day One
by Magpies and Pie
Summary: When Akane woke up on her first morning after finally moving out from her parent's house, she was a tad shocked to walk outside and meet a white-haired man. Sleeping outside her door. ShoAka
1. Chapter 1

Day One living by herself and something odd happened.

Her parents had been worried that she wasn't ready enough to live on her own.

Akane argued that all girls her age were living in their own apartments now closer to their respective training school.

She only started getting the idea after Yuki moved out of her old home a few months ago. She said that it was quite nerve-wracking at first, but after a while, you get used to the freedom and begin to enjoy the responsibility and control you have over your own life.

"Then again, I'm sure you'll get used to it right away!" Yuki exclaimed. "Afterall, your Psycho-Pass is clear no matter what the situation. You'll adapt fine, Akane."

Last night; Tsunemori Akane had arrived at her one-person flat with a suitcase and a password to download her handpicked holo Avatar AI into the security system. Next morning, the AI bid her good morning for the first time and reeled off a number of questions which was really not suitable to ask when someone was only half-awake.

It wasn't a bad morning though. Akane had a nice hot shower, ate a healthy breakfast and watched some news. It was still like her everyday schedule back at home- or it was really just her parent's house now.

She wanted to go for a morning jog, but found that someone didn't want her to go. That someone being the stranger sleeping right outside her door.

"Candy, you didn't notice him?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Nope!" the holo-octopus cheerfully replied.

Day One and her AI was already suffering from security problems.

Day One and there was someone sleeping outside her door. It probably wasn't very comfortable.

Day One and she figured her parents were right that the outside world was a bizarre place.

Akane couldn't see much of the stranger; he was hunched over on the floor using his arm as a pillow. She only knew he was a 'he' since she wasn't sure how many girls could have such broad shoulders. On his head though, was a mop of white hair. Oh dear, it was an elderly man. She wondered how long he was sleeping in the cold for.

Suddenly, all of Akane's love for her frail grandmother sang out to the homeless man lying in front of her.

"Oji-san," she said softly, and began to shake his arm. "Oji-san, are you alright?"

The stranger stirred slightly and slowly awoke. He lazily stretched his arms before sitting up straight, with his back to Akane still.

"Oji-san," she said again. "I have no idea how long you've been out here for, but you'll catch a cold if you stay. Would you like me to call someone for-"

The stranger turned round and only then did Akane finally realize he wasn't an old man. Probably still in his twenties.

"Oh."

A polite smile stretched across his face.

Akane furrowed her eyebrows. "Um, are you okay?" She wondered if she should also apologize for calling him oji-san. Or ask why he was sleeping outside her door.

He stared at her blankly for a moment before opening his mouth to speak. He was instantly cut off though when a deep growl awoke in his stomach. He didn't seem embarrassed about it- in fact, Akane was feeling a bit more awkward than he was.

"You're hungry," she pointed out flatly.

She glanced round the empty corridor and then back at the white-haired stranger. He was dressed in casual clothes, very plain, very white, probably bought a generic, cheap programme for his wardrobe. She wondered if he even had money for breakfast. It was a chilly morning so he was going to need something hot.

Just as another morning breeze chilled past, Akane suddenly felt compelled to ask "Would you like something to eat?"

Day One and she was inviting a man into her apartment.

She guessed she should've thought over that one. In one way, it was a stupid idea- bringing in a man who she had never spoken to. But if anything went wrong; Candy was designed to automatically record criminal acts whether they are done by the owner or the guests.

Speaking of whom, the AI was having a field day.

"Oh my! Oh my! How bold of you!" she squealed. It danced merrily around Akane sending little holo-hearts floating into the air. "Love at first sight!"

Akane hastily swatted her AI away.

"Don't listen to Candy," Akane mumbled at the stranger. "She's rather new."

The automatic kettle still had some of coffee left, Akane had wanted to finish it off after her jog but she heated it up again to serve to her guest.

"What would you like to eat? Candy has a big menu."

The white-haired man didn't seem to be listening, he was staring at Candy with a faint smile still on his lips and some vague interest in the holo-octopus constant bobbing about as if she was bungee jumping.

Akane wondered if he was mute- or deaf, he hadn't spoken a single word to her. Then again, usually people would have hearing-aids or synthetic voices installed instantly. Well, that wasn't her business.

She shrugged her shoulders and ordered Candy to serve another tray of breakfast- English style. She set the food and coffee on the table just as the stranger turned his attention to her.

"Please eat," she motioned to the seat before sitting opposite it. "It's cold outside so you'll need something warm to start your day."

He sat down without a word and began to eat. Akane thought it would be rude of her to stare whilst he did so so she quickly mumbled to the AI for another cup of coffee and stared at that instead. She would still steal a few glances at him, being more and more unsure that he really was some homeless person. He looked so comfortable sitting there and eating his toast that it was as if he had lived in the apartment his entire life.

Besides the noise of crunching toast, the silence was growing more awkward. So she abruptly jerked her head at him and cleared her throat.

"I don't know why you were sleeping outside my door, but that really isn't healthy for you," she chided him. "If you don't have a place to go to, then I can direct you to the nearest Welfare Centre. I would suggest some hotels or something, but I've only moved here recently so I can't stay anything I say will be very credible..."

The next five minutes went by with Akane drifting in and out into her one-sided conversation, there was still the nagging possibility that the stranger couldn't even hear her, but they did occasionally share eye-contact so she knew at least he was aware of her speaking.

He tidily finished his meal and smiled again at Akane- though, it felt more genuine than the first time.

She smiled back.

He then took her hand into his and leaned forward a little.

Akane's smile froze.

The stranger then spoke for the first time in a smooth, reserved voice:

"_Be mine_."

Day One and a guy was asking her out- or something like that.

"...excuse me?" Akane deadpanned.

The white-haired stranger pulled his hand away and leaned back. "Ah, I'm sorry," he said gently. "I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I said that without thinking."

"Oh, don't worry ab-"

"I still mean it though."

"-bout it. Wait, what?"

The stranger seemed to find amusement in her shock.

"This is the first time I've met someone like you," he explained. "So before I lose sight of you, I want to make sure you're securely by my side." He paused. "Or if it's more convenient, I can stay by yours. I hate to disrupt your daily life."

Akane wondered if it was _her _hearing which was impaired, not his.

"So, I'm yours," he added.

Or maybe a Psycho Pass checkup would be good for the both of them.

"You do realize you're asking out a complete stranger who you've barely met for ten minutes," Akane objected. "Also, I have no interest in dating right now."

"I'm a patient person," he assured. "Miss...?"

Akane decided not to tell him, instead, she'll show him the exit and let him get on his way.

"Her name's Tsunemori Akane!" a familiar voice chipped into the conversation.

Said girl gasped in disbelief. "Candy!"

Day One and her AI was suffering from _major_ security problems.

"Thank-you, Candy," the stranger acknowledged. "So, Akane-chan-"

"At least just call me Tsunemori."

"Akane-chan," he repeated, as if testing the sound of the name. By the faint twitch on his lips, Akane guessed he liked it. "My name is Makishima Shogo and I would like to become your flatmate."

The spontaneous change in topic caught her off-guard.

"This is a one-person flat," she argued.

"I'm sure your bed can fit us both."

"_What_?"

Makishima looked very close to laughing. "I'm just teasing. I'll sleep on the floor."

A rare headache was threatening to come through for Akane. She rarely talked to guys outside of a lecture hall but she was still very sure that guys aren't usually so forward. He was acting as if she already agreed to letting him live with her.

"Makishima-san, I invited you into my home because I thought you might be hungry," Akane stated firmly. "You've finished eating, so please leave. If you would like to know where the local Welfare Centre is, my landlady lives downstairs and she can point you to the right direction."

"Oh, but didn't I already say I want to be with you?" Makishima inquired.

Akane crossed her arms over her chest.

"All because I gave you food once doesn't mean I'm entitled to give it you all the time," she warned.

Surprise had flickered through Makishima's eyes for a second. He reverted back to his gentle smile when he figured out what Akane meant.

"Oh, you misunderstand me, Akane-chan," he informed. "When I said I wanted to be with you, I really do mean _you_. Not your money. Or your cute AI's excellent service."

From the corner of her eye, Akane noticed Candy had an oddly sheepish expression.

Day One and her AI had betrayed her.

"You see, Akane-chan, it's the first time I've met someone like you," Makishima continued. "Or I really should say is that, I've finally found someone like you. A person who helps someone else completely out of their own free will."

He leaned over the table again- a table which was very small and designed just for the single meal tray.

Akane jerked out of her seat and smoothed down a crease on her jacket.

"Offering food to a hungry person is something anyone can do," Akane retorted.

"Yes, no one does it," the white-haired guest countered.

"Of course they would."

"No, they don't Akane-chan," Makishima was still smiling, but his eyes weren't anymore. "Everyone is so busy with their own lives, they pretend that people like me don't exist, they don't look at me because I'm not their problem."

Akane's eyebrow wrinkled.

"I don't think you can prove that unless you've fallen asleep in public before," she protested. "In fact, I'm rather curious to _why _you were sleeping outside my door in the first place."

The smile had finally lifted to Makishima's eyes again. He too rose from his chair and took a few steps closer to Akane.

"Do you have faith that people will be kind to strangers, Akane-chan?" he asked curiously. "Well, I guess your optimism would explain why you were so calm when you found me. I wonder what your Hue is like?"

Akane took a step back.

"That's private information, Makishima-san. And you're changing the topic."

He took half a step forward.

"No matter. In this cage where people are only willing to help if it benefits themselves, I've finally found someone who helps simply because she wishes to," Makishima claimed happily. "A free bird living outside Sibyl's trap."

Another step back.

"You put too much praise on someone whose given you a free breakfast," Akane criticized. "And you seem to be implying that Sibyl oppresses people."

"Oh, then perhaps you'd show me otherwise?" Makishima challenged. "Doesn't Sibyl decide everything for us in our lives? Everything is set out for us; our education, our careers, our partner, our complete lifestyle. Everyone is so dependent on receiving and performing the System's orders because it knows what is best for them. That's why they never act out of free will, because it is not part of Sibyl's plan, thus they don't know what good it will do."

Akane gave herself a few moments to absorb what he had said.

"That's right, Sibyl does decide everything for us," she agreed. "We accept it because it's there."

Though Makishima was happy she was rather open-minded, he felt a little disappointed that she accept it so readily without a fight.

Suddenly, she shot him a stern look.

"That's why you have no right to say people will not help others when the choice of free will appears- because your will is something no one can predict, not even the Sibyl System," she concluded.

Makishima nodded thoughtful. "Oh, so you do believe the System is flawed, and the whole concept of a Psycho Pass?"

"Measuring mental health and your predisposition to becoming a criminal is one thing... but it's a little deterministic," she mumbled with a shrug. "In the end, you have to decide for yourself if you want to commit a crime or not, and that's free will, isn't it?"

She wasn't sure if she was making much sense in the first place, or if her non-expertise comment would be valid in anyway, but Makishima was still vacantly smiling and his eyes were locked onto her almost unblinkingly.

"How interesting," he commented. "I really do want you afterall. There is no way I can just turn away from you now."

Akane held up her hands in a sign of defense. "Makishima-san, I-"

"Please, just call me Shogo."

"You call me 'Akane-chan' when I said I wanted you to call me 'Tsunemori,' so why should I bother calling you by the name you want me to say?" she grumbled.

Makishima looked as if he was about to laugh again. "Aren't you cruel, Akane-chan? You're making me choose between me calling you by your cute first name, or hearing you call me by my first name."

"I wasn't sure if we are close enough to start addressing eachother so familiarly in the first place," Akane said frankly. "And um, I guess you've finished your breakfast."

"I would very much like another cup of coffee."

"I have no reason t-"

"One extra cup of coffee coming up!" Candy cheerfully announced in the background.

Akane felt the sudden urge to slap her forehead.

"Candy, Sleep Mode."

"Okay!"

She turned her attention back to the smiling stranger. "Makishima-san. I think you should leave now."

"How could I leave such an interesting person like you?"

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

Makishima then offered a hand out in front of the weary brunette.

"How about if I make a proposition with you instead? I will give you anything you want in exchange for letting me become your flatmate," he suggested.

At that, Akane had to laugh. It was so simplistic it was childish. "Anything? Like, pay for my training school fees or my housing bills?" she joked, finding his sudden proposal far too uncomplicated for his character.

"Would you rather have me pay for both or just one of them?" he asked in all seriousness, the graceful smile on his face unwavering.

Akane stopped laughing.

"You're homeless," she pointed out.

"So you would assume."

"You were sleeping outside my door."

"Ah yes, that's a long story, but I honestly didn't mean to fall asleep. Your neighbourhood is very peaceful and quiet by the way."

"Who _are_ you?"

Makishima took another half-step forward and leaned forward so their noses were almost touching.

"I'm your flatmate, Akane-chan."

At that, Akane-chan then forced her flatmate out through her door.

Well, not really. Akane had never been a violent person in her entire life so she rashly pleaded him to leave by the promise she'd go out to have coffee with him some other time.

Day One and Akane found herself a date.

Well, she told herself it wasn't. She was sure she'd never see him again anyway; if he had fallen asleep outside her door instead of in his own home or even at a hotel, she theorized that he wasn't from the local area so out of conventional reasons, he would have to leave her and they would both get on with their own lives.

Day Two however, Makishima Shogo proved her wrong by appearing at her front door, fully awake and holding an address to a coffee shop he liked.

* * *

**Hey guys. First PP story so any form of feedback is greatly appreciated! It was probably a stupid idea to do your first story on Psycho Pass which is mindfuck all over the place, especially a story including Makishima ha.**

**This story idea is not mine, but exile-wrath. In fact, that summary is his too. THANKS SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME USE IT. Check his stuff out, especially his own ShoAka story (****Handcuffed Together, For Now and Forever**) which is pretty damn good. Screw that. It's bloody amazing compared to the jumble I made here.

**Thanks for reading. ****Sorry about the anti-climatic ending.**

**_Pie_**


	2. Chapter 2

"Akane-chaaaaaan~ You have a visitor~" Candy sang as she exited the shower the next morning, wiping her face.

Akane raised an eyebrow curiously. Who would visit her at this time of day-

"Ah, I'm looking forward to today, Akane-chan," an all-too-familiar man with white hair greeted her when she opened the door, holding a business card for a coffee shop. "Now about our deal yesterday-"

Quite understandably ( to herself at least) she slammed the door shut.

"I did not see anyone there," she muttered.

Day Two and she already had someone willing to take her on a date.

Day Two and Akane was now very sure that city residents were odd.

"Candy, do you think I'll be able to jump out the window?" she debated aloud.

Her AI stopped its dancing and heart-spouting before beginning on a lengthy lecture about safety.

There was another knock on her door and Akane relented. She had promised that she would go to coffee with him yesterday… With a sigh, she changed her clothes to a peacoat and black shorts with some flats.

"Ah, for a moment I thought that you forgot about our meeting," Makishima greeted pleasantly, a suspicious length of metal retreating back into his sleeve.

She eyed his hand in horror.

"Were you going to pick my lock?" Akane snapped, snatching his arm and attempting to wrangle what had been in his hand from him. Makishima smiled politely and kneed her in the stomach momentarily, causing her to double over, stunned. "H- Hey!" she cried, flailing as she was picked up and slung over his shoulder.

Candy interpreted her movements as a wave of goodbye and closed the door behind them.

As he carried her down the stairs (Akane had yet to notice how close his hand was to a precarious place), she relunctantly gave up thrashing herself off and asked, "Why are you carrying me?"

He hummed tunelessly. "Why, you were about to break your promise."

"I wasn't, Makishima-san," Akane protested.

"You were about to jump out the window," Shogo pointed out amusedly.

"That was a joke! Hey, wait, put me down!"

Akane highly doubted that he would let her off without at least semi-wrecking her sanity. She struggled a little more but Makishima kept her securely over his shoulder. He was surprisingly strong considering how slim he looked to Akane.

He tirelessly made his way down the emergency staircase with almost a bounce to his step, as if Akane weighed nothing at all.

"Wait, why aren't you taking the elevator?" she demanded.

"Would you believe me if I say I'm claustrophobic?"

"No!" she declared, attempting to struggle again. "Okay, I promise not to run away, now please put me _down_!"

The landlady would most likely be watering the natural potted flowers outside her door, and if Shogo was planning to wear Akane over his shoulder right to the first floor, there was going to be an awkward meeting which she would inevitably have to try explain later.

"Are you too uncomfortable perhaps?" he inquired.

Before Akane could answer him, she let out a short squawk as she was pulled backwards and her head hit his chest.

"How about this?"

When the world stopped spinning she realized that Shogo was still carrying her- but this time she was being held in his arms with her face buried in his shirt. (Seeing, or in this case, feeling the material up close, it was actually very silky and probably expensive, which only made her confused since he was supposedly homeless) She glared up at his wide smile and fought in the growing temptation to punch it.

They moved down on the second floor.

"Makishima-san," she growled in warning. "I'm not injured or incapable of walking. Please let me down."

Her irritating date instead lifted her a little so he could bring his face closer to hers. "If you call me Shogo, I promise I will."

She sighed inwardly. "I've never met anyone as frustrating as you before, Shogo_-san_," she remarked bitterly.

"Is that so?" For some reason, Makishima looked very pleased with himself.

He gently let her back on her feet and continued smiling brightly. If Akane hadn't already met him already, she would've thought the smile looked innocent, but even when he looked genuinely happy, she noticed that there was a glint of sadness written in his eyes. She didn't know what it meant yet.

They walked side by side onto the ground floor, being spotted by the middle-aged landlady tending to her flowers.

"Oh, Akane-chan?" she raised her eyebrows at the sight of the white-haired man behind her new tenant. "My, my! You told me you _didn't_ have a boyfriend yet here you are, off an a date with a handsome boy!"

Akane quickly pushed Makishima towards the door in case if he confirmed it.

"It's not a date!" she called over her shoulder. "He's just a -er- distant friend of the family!"

"Actually, I'm her future flatma-"

"_Friend_ of the family."

Day Two and Akane was already spinning lies to her landlady.

They took a bus to a shopping centre Akane had never visited before. The journey itself had been awkward since Makishima seemed content to just sit next to her without saying a word, whilst she prayed at every stop that no one she knew will come on board.

The alien environment didn't make things any better but a familiar brandname flashed at at the corner of her eye came as a comfort. She hesitantly leaned closer to Makishima so she could ask "C-Could I go to that store for a moment?"

"So you could plan an escape?" Makishima asked, the corner of his lip curling into a quirky fashion.

A blush threatened to flood her face. "I just want to search for something. You can come along if you like."

They entered the shop and Akane instantly marched towards a holo-display advertising big new game titles. She spun her fingers over them, searching for any which her friends recently talked about.

"You like gaming?"

"It's good fun," Akane chirped, and went back to her browsing.

Whilst doing so, she had completely forgot that there was someone standing next to her.

Makishima watched with amusement as his future partner absorbed herself in the game displays. He had a fairly neutral opinion about the industry in general, but thanked its presence since he had now found something he could use as a bribe for more meetings with his Akane-chan.

It was quite..._cute_ how she went from being so guarded to an excited child picking her favourite sweets in a store. Her eyes twinkled a little in triumph as she found what she was looking for and scanned through the details of the game in front of her.

"This'll definately be fun to play with Sho!" she exclaimed before turning back to Makishima. "I'm just going to buy this, please give me a mo-"

For some reason, Makishima's calm mask was on the verge of shattering.

"Would you please repeat that?" he inquired.

"Excuse me?"

"What you just said."

"Um, I'm going to go-"

"Before that."

Akane blinked. "This'll be fun to play with Sho," she echoed, indicating to the game.

Then realization struck her.

"Oh, _oh_. Sh-Sho is a friend from training school!" she blabbered, quick to fix Makishima's assumption that she was calling _him _'Sho.' "I'm sorry for the confusion, Makishima-san."

She raced for the till, but her white-haired date was quick to follow

"So, Akane-chan," Makishima said with fake brightness, joining her in the queue. "Who is Sho?"

"Well, he's actually called Shoichi but we tend to call eachother shorter nicknames when online. It's more conventional," she replied hastily. "We game a lot you see."

"Full name?"

"Oh, that's Taka-" Akane froze in mid-sentence. "Wh-Why would you want to know his full name?"

Makishima did his best attempt at an innocent smile. It was, unfortunately, a very successful one. "Would you believe me if I said it was out of simple curiosity?"

Akane didn't reply, the queue in front of her had cleared so she went ahead and placed the game on the counter. However, Makishima continued to shadow her and took the opportunity to lean over her and pay for the item himself.

She was about to make a noise of protest but when she saw the cash, her jaw hung open.

"I-I can't accept a homeless man's money!" she spluttered.

Makishima playfully tapped her on the nose. "I never said I was. Now, about this Shoichi-kun-"

"For some reason, I'm fearing for Sho's life and you two have no reason to meet anyway," she said dryly and pushed the money back into Makishima's hand. "I'll pay, it's a game for my own leisure."

"Isn't buying things for your partner considered good manners in a date?" he asked lightly.

"This is not a date. I am not your partner."

The giggling cashier thought otherwise.

Day Two and Akane was contemplating on vandalism via repeatedly banging her head against a shop window.

She managed to convince Makishima to let her buy her own game and allowed him to finally take her to the coffee shop he picked out. It was an old-fashioned cafe whith vintage florescent lights and most likely little to no Holo to change the old, crumbling walls around it.

"_Black Order_?" Akane read out the English signboard outside.

"Right this way, I reserved seats," Makishima directed to a table for two located in front of a wall decorated with authentic paintings.

He held out her seat for her which she awkwardly took. Makishima sat opposite her. Two cups of tea and a plate of shortbread was soon placed between them.

She nervously took a sip out of her cup.

"So, Makishima-san..." she began to say, but quickly realized she had no idea how to start a conversation with an enigmatic man.

For a start, considering it was Makishima who wanted them to go out for today, she expected him to be very involved with what they were doing. Instead, she found that his willingness to speak would quickly die unless she was doing something. She concluded she'd much rather listen to him talk than do nothing because she was quite sure he had been staring at her a few times in their moments of silence.

"You're not homeless?" she tried to certify.

Makishima's ever-present, vacant smile twitched in amusement.

"I don't have a permanent home," he answered. "I'd very much like to move in with you instead as your flatma-"

"Okay, next question," she interrupted. "Why were you sleeping outside my home yesterday?"

"I took a walk. Saw the complex. Thought it looked peaceful. Accidentally took a nap."

There was a pause.

"But _why_?"

"I enjoy meeting new people in varied settings."

Before Akane could try to pursue the topic any longer, Makishima threw in his own question instead.

"Do you read books, Akane-chan?"

She blinked owlishly.

"Books? As in for leisure? Other than textbooks or related works, I can't really say I do," she replied after some thought. "They've never been really... _fun_. Sometimes interesting, but books with unhappy endings are difficult to find joy in."

"Perhaps if you read a book without expecting it to entertain you then you will see it differently," Makishima offered.

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"You don't read for entertainment?"

"I read to adjust my senses."

She waited for him to elaborate but the light shifted a little in his eyes, showing that a new question was suddenly bursting from him.

"May I recommend a few titles?" he asked. Though his tone was kept calm and even, Akane noticed a hint of excitement behind his words, like a child just waiting to share a secret with his best friend or parent.

A part of Akane had wanted to decline. Like she said earlier, she never really enjoyed reading and she wasn't planning to make her coffee dates with the homeless white-haired stranger a part of her daily life. Still, he seemed to be holding back his eagerness quite well so it would only be polite to indulge.

She opened up her holocomm and looked up expectantly at Makishima, so she could browse for the books.

"Lord of the Flies by William Goldberg," he began.

"Eh? Lord of the Flies? I've read that one."

Makishima leaned over the table a little. "Well isn't that a pleasant surprise. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it."

"My thoughts?" Akane echoed. "It was quite horrifying, and very sad... what else should I say?"

"Any underlying themes you've noticed?"

"I think it could've been toying on the concept of original sin. Although, in context, he may have been focusing on the British public school system of the time..." she trailed off.

"You shouldn't sound so unsure, Akane-chan. There is no 'correct' answer since Goldberg was never explicit with the themes," Makishima pointed out. "I wonder if he wrote the book to refute Rousseau's utopian dream of the noble savage, and the idea that that corruption comes from _civilization_."

He paused to take a bite out a shortbread.

"Let's say for example, you and your classmates were on an uninhabited island," Makishima painted the scenario. "How long until all of you start tearing eachother apart?"

Akane wasn't sure if that was the best question to ask in a date. (No wait, she wasn't on a date.)

"Um, I'm sure there are a lot of varying factors considering that..."

"Yes, for one, all of you had been raised by the Sibyl System, which assures you the most suitable lifestyle," he noted. "With it's presence suddenly gone from your lives, how do you think your classmates would react?"

Akane furrowed her eyebrows. "Probably in a similar fashion to the boys in Goldberg's novel. Those boys had been living in regulated lives as well. The only way to make the events differ is if we acknowledged the System had been a large part of our lives, and that we have to fill in the gap ourselves."

"Oh, what do you mean?"

"Well, book like, um, Animal Farm, 1984, Darkness at Noon, Fahrenheit 451, for example, all of them contained a protagonist under threat of a negative power, but those protagonists just tried to avoid the problem as much as they could. They never tried to oppose that power."

"You think they should of?"

Akane opened her mouth but quickly closed it again. She frowned at her tea, sinking deeper into thought as she compared each dystopia presented by the different authors. However, her thought process broke after hearing a faint chuckle in front of her.

Her eyes widened in shock.

Makishima was _laughing_?

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to appear rude," he said from behind his teacup. "Please continue."

"I-Is there something on my face?"

Makishima rested his head on an open palm. "You had a nice expression, that is all."

Akane felt her cheeks redden but bowed her head so he couldn't see.

"S-So, about your question! I-I think it's difficult to be the only person who thinks different from everybody else!" she stammered. "It's probably very lonely, which is why they conform, and sometimes, it's better to do so, because trying to force your own very different view onto others can hurt people."

"Then should that one person be allowed to stay lonely forever? Or act like a sheep and pretend nothing's wrong?" His tone was no longer humorous. In mere seconds, Akane felt the light amusement in the air freeze over.

She lifted her head a fraction just so she could see Makishima's expression. Unfortunately, her hair curtained most of his face, but she was able to notice the abrupt grim tightening of his jaw.

"Humans are never alone," she replied. "We're social creatures, so even if a person feels as if he or she is different, that person will eventually meet someone else who is similar or willing to accept those different views."

His jaw slackened.

"Your optimism is quite something, Akane-chan," he said, voice still deadpan.

Akane wasn't entirely ready to check Makishima's expression so she took great interest in her teacup instead.

"Thinking nothing about the negative side of an argument doesn't really get you anywhere," she speculated.

"You think even the people rejected by Sibyl would be able to find acceptance from others?"

Out of all the questions Akane was given, this particular one threw her off.

"I'm sorry?" she spluttered.

"Never mind, perhaps another day."

"_Another _day?!"

Her head finally snapped up to see Makishima and saw that a new smile took form on his face, it looked less empty than his usual ones. It in fact, in Akane's view, made him look a little younger.

"Well, talking with you has been quite insightful and fascinating," he praised. "I'd very much like us to meet like this again."

Akane responded with a disapproving sigh. "Makishima-san, don't you have better things to do in life?"

"Haven't I already told you, Akane-chan? You're far too interesting for me to leave alone," he reminded her. "In fact, out of all the people I've met you are the _most_ interesting."

"And like I said before, flattery will get you nowhere."

"Your rebellious side is cute, Akane-chan."

Day Two and Akane concluded that verbal communication with men was just infuriating.

Day Two and Akane vowed never to get on public transport with Makishima Shogo ever again. He found being squashed next her in a crowded bus far too hilarious.

Scratch that, Akane vowed never to go anywhere with Makishima Shogo again.

They stumbled out of the bus just a few blocks from her flat. Akane spent a moment composing herself again and smoothing down her hair from the graceless ride. Well, Makishima would beg to differ.

"Today has been... pleasant, and um, thank-you for the tea," she mumbled as she bowed her head.

In amusement, Makishima mirrored her. "Thank-_you_ for being such a delight to be with."

She nodded at him stiffly and was about to turn away when his voice tugged her back.

"In a date, isn't it customary to see your partner off with a kiss?" he asked slyly.

"This wasn't a date."

"Then a hug?"

Akane raised her eyebrows at him. "You can be quite childish at times, Makishima-san."

"I'd prefer to think that I have a young sense of humour."

Considering Makishima had been a gentleman for _most _of the day, (but she really can't forget how he carried her down three flights of stairs in the most undignified manner) she guessed she _could _allow one _friend-like_ hug. It just was that Akane had never been very encouraging of physical contact, and much rather share smiles with her friends instead.

Then again, she _could_ just say no and make things easier for herself.

She shyly avoided eye-contact and hid her arms behind her back.

"Th-Thank-you for today," she stuttered and bowed for the second time.

However, just as she planned to take off and sprint to her flat, a pair of strong arms pulled her backwards, and crushed her into a familiar silky fabric. Her protests were muffled into his chest and every time she struggled, his arms only wound tighter around her.

She felt his chin sit on top of her head.

"I've been wanting to do this all day," Makishima confessed. "In fact, since yesterday."

Again, Akane wondered how such a slim-figured man such as Makishima Shogo could be so physically strong (and have such well-developed muscles). She managed to breath again by turning her head to the side, her cheek rubbing against his shirt.

"Why isn't any street scanners picking up this sexual harassment?" she squirmed.

"Hugging is an innocent activity," he replied.

"Not when the other party is opposing it."

"I don't see why you have a problem with it, you're quite lovely to hug," Makishima chuckled, and made a few playful twirls. "Actually, that isn't a particularly reliable statement. I don't hug often so I don't have many people to compare with."

Akane stopped wriggling after her feet lifted off form the ground. She dug her face back into his chest and waited for him to stop spinning.

"Ma-Makishima-san! I'm going to get sick!" she warned.

"Then I'll carry you up the stairs."

"Elevators exist for a reason!"

"Claustrophobic."

"Liar!"

"_Akane_?!"

The new voice made Makishima stop.

It made Akane freeze up.

Not far off, two bystanders were watching the scene in complete astonishment. Two bystanders who Akane could unfortunately recognize.

"Kaori... Yuki..." she managed to say.

"Hello, you must be friends of Akane-chan?" Makishima greeted with a nod of the head, having still not released Akane in his arms. "I am her new flatmate, Makishi-"

"You're not! He's lying!" Akane protested.

"We came by to celebrate that you moved into a home of your own," Yuki explained, holding up a plastic bag most likely containing ice-cream. "But looks like you're not exactly on your own."

"He's a complete stranger!"

"Didn't we just go on a date, Akane-chan?" Makishima prompted.

"That was _not _a date!"

Day Two and all the misunderstandings began.

* * *

**I DID IT. ****After a couple of mochas and tears of angels, here is the sequel.**

**Thank-you exile-wrath for writing the opening scene for me and kicking it off.**

**(And heck yes, reference to 'Handcuffed Together, For Now and Forever' and if you haven't read it yet, why are you still hanging around here for?)  
**

**Just wanted to say, the only book I've properly read is Lord of the Flies, literature is not really my thing so feel free to correct me. I just wanted to use it as a starting point for Akane to indirectly tell Makishima DON'T KILL PEOPLE JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE AN ASYMPTOMATIC ASSHAT.**

_**Pie**_

**PS I've only proofread this twice and will probably do it again later after my brain returns to me. But until then, if anyone finds any grammatical errors, please do tell.**


	3. Chapter 3

Day Three was _eventful_.

'Day Three' was Akane's shortened version for 'Day Three of when I met this white-haired stranger who turned out not to be a homeless old man but a really weird not-so-old man.'

Though at that morning, Akane thought it was going to be a 'Day One of _not _being with that white-haired stranger who turned out not to be a homeless old man but a really weird not-so-old man.' It was a little awkward for her first thought waking up being 'am I going to see that stranger again?'

Then again, he made a strong first impression.

It was Monday, she woke up early, ate a French breakfast and was out of the apartment with plenty of time before the first period of training school.

She sort of forgot about Makishima during the journey- but then the moment she stepped into the school building, Yuki and Kaori linked arms with her securely as they began a spitfire interview.

"So, about that new flatmate of yours," Yuki began. "You promised you would explain today. Does your parents know? Or did they set you up with him?"

"He looks quite a bit older than you," Kaori noted. "How did you meet him?"

Akane thought about slipping away but the tightening grasp around her elbows reminded her she was trapped. Which meant a Plan B. Yes, Akane prepared a Plan B. And a Plan C and a Plan CII if those wouldn't work.

She forced a smile on her face- a smile which she hoped looked casual and not ready to crash a helmet onto Makishima's head for causing such a commotion in the first place.

"He's not my flatmate. Makishima-san's one of the apartment residents, which somehow equal to me technically being a 'flatmate.'" she exasperated. "He's leaving quite soon though."

She hoped.

"He seemed quite close to you. How come you were on a date with him yesterday?" Kaori prodded.

"We met by coincidence. He insisted on buying me some tea and walk me back since we lived in the same place," Akane explained. "He began teasing me so I got a bit irritated at him by the time we were back."

"Someone who is able to get on Akane's bad side?" Yuki whistled. "He must be quite a handful."

It wasn't as if either of her friends would search up all the apartment residents just to find Makishima's name, so she hoped it would be enough to satisfy them. They continued to ask questions about him, but didn't appear suspicious with her story.

In fact, by lunch-time he was a past topic since a new movie with Kaori's favourite actress was starring. Yuki then began to complain about her noisy neighbours who were apparently some 'third-rate wannabe musicians.'

By the time lessons finished, Akane's head was crammed with her studies and a long list of homework she had to complete by the end of the week. She closed her eBook and carefully packed it in her bag. There was a lot to get through but it wouldn't be particularly difficult, considering the pace she usually worked at, she decided to finish all of it by the night.

Well, that was the plan anyway before a classmate caught her attention by tapping her on the shoulder.

"Tsunemori," Shouko addressed her. "There's someone waiting for you outside."

Akane's eyebrows knitted together. "For me? Who?" Surely her parents were far too busy to come check on her at school and her grandmother hasn't been able to leave the home on her own for years. Who else would-

Oh no.

Oh _no._

"What did this person look like?" Akane demanded, snapping out of her calm stupor the school had known her for.

A little surprised at Akane's reaction, Shouko's face began to mirror hers. "Pretty strange. He was tall, white hair, gold eyes, kinda handsome-"

Oh _**no.**_

Akane slammed her head against her desk. She wondered if this was what her psychology classes referred to as a 'stalker.'

"How did he find me?" she groaned against the wooden surface.

"You know, Tsunemori. He is sort of bringing in lots of attention just standing there," Shouko added. "And hey, is it true he's your new flatma-?"

That very word was the trigger to send Akane flying out of her seat and down the stairs. In hunt of a certain person who was most definitely _not_ her flatmate.

She couldn't believe Makishima _still _at it. She wondered if there was something wrong with Makishima Shougo. All because cymatic scan didn't pick anything wrong with his Hue didn't mean he was perfectly normal, right?

_Right?!_

She sprinted out the doors and across the field, spotting the white-haired stranger like a glaring light in the midst of her curious classmates, passing by on their way home. Makishima was in the middle of a conversation with two girls before he spotted her running.

"Ah, Akane-chan," he greeted, raising a hand to make a short wave.

The temptation to smack his skull with a helmet was increasing at an alarming rate.

But, of course, there had to be street scanners and an ongoing crowd moving past them to witness the forthcoming criminal act. She forced herself to calm.

"Makishima-san," she said bitterly. "What are you doing here?"

"To take you home, it must be difficult finding your way to school all the way from your new apartment," Makishima said sympathetically. "Two bus transfers and a winding walk, isn't it? Fortunately, I know a shortcut and since I was in the area, I thought I could come pick you up."

Akane mouthed 'liar' in English which only made Makishima's smile stretch a little wider. She wanted to reject his thoughtful offer but-

"Tsu-chan!"

Akane froze.

Day Three was officially the worst day of her life.

"Tsu-chan! Over here!"

"Who would that be, Akane-chan?" Makishima asked harmlessly.

"Just a classmate," she replied hastily. "Now please leave!"

"Could that boy possible be... Shoichi-kun?"

Damn it. He found out.

Shoichi nearly crashed into Akane with excitement, pushing an online game magazine in front of her face. He was so absorbed by what he wanted to tell her that he had completely ignored the presence of the white-haired young man standing behind her.

"Tsu-chan! You will never guess what!" he blubbered enthusiastically. "There's a third game of the Alice series being released! It's finally _here_!"

She hadn't seen him look this happy since he won a VIP pass in Talisman's Commufield. In fact, he looked so overjoyed that Akane thought he was going to hug her. Apparently, Makishima thought the same thing since he gently placed his hands on her shoulders, and slipped into their conversation.

Shoichi blinked at the new face.

"Eh, Tsu-chan, who's this?"

With all honesty, Tsu-chan had no idea.

"A close friend," Makishima replied for her, the smile on his face was too smooth and too perfect- which wasn't a good sign at all. "You must be Shoichi-kun. Akane-chan has talked about you."

Shoichi's blinked. "She does? Well, erm, I don't think I've heard or seen you before..."

"Makishima Shogo. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Makishima-san, huh? Well, I'm Takahama Shoichi. It's always nice to meet a friend of Tsu-chan's!"

The two of them shook hands, ignoring how Akane's face had paled by several tones. The conversation was of course completely innocent, but she knew better than to trust the perfect smile gracing Makishima's face.

Hastily, Akane took hold of Shoichi's arm and began drag him back into the school. Back to safety. And away from Makishima Shogo of course.

"Sho-kun, you and Yuki were going to do your maths homework today, right?" she urged. "Hurry up, Yuki is really impatient."

"Eh, but we do homework together on Thurs-" Shoichi began to correct.

"Yuki is _really _impatient," Akane cut in sharply.

She eagerly yanked on Shoichi's arm until he got the message and carried walking on his own. Akane waved him off until he disappeared into the school building. Next to her, Makishima was politely doing the same.

"So, are you ready to go home, Akane-chan?" he inquired.

Akane's eye twitched. "Makishima-san, if you keep stalking me your Hue will cloud."

He looked quite amused at her warning. "Thank-you for worrying about me, but I assure you that won't happen."

"I-I wasn't _worrying_ about you!"

Where was a helmet when you needed one.

She glared at a public cymatic scan which stared at Makishima for a second, and then turned away. So, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Makishima Shogo's Psycho Pass was normal, no criminal intent had been read.

Hmm.

Yeah...

She deduced that Makishima hacked her school security system.

"Well, good-bye, Makishima-san," she said curtly. "I'm going home- _on my own."_

Her harsh tone barely fazed him. He continued to smile and follow her past the gate. "Now Akane-chan, you don't see me cruel enough to send you home alone in the rain?"

Akane responded with a frown. "What rai-?"

As if nature itself was against her, a sudden shower sprinkled against the pavement. She craned her neck up and groaned at the greying canopy. The weather quickly dimmed with her mood, painting sluggish blue-black clouds over the skyscrapers. She wondered if Makishima knew how to hack the weather- she wouldn't be too surprised.

Her view of the buildings was then blocked by a plastic yellow cover.

"Even if your morning looks sunny, you should still check the forecast," Makishima advised. "Fortunately, I brought my umbrella."

"You couldn't have brought two?" she mumbled.

"Would you believe me if I said I only own one?"

"No, that's definitely a lie."

"You think so low of me that I would lie to you?" he sounded unconvincingly appalled.

She let out a long, dragging sigh. "Makishima-san, how long are you going to keep this up for?"

When Akane turned round to see his face, she was not surprised to see that she was responded with a feigned look of confusion. A _poorly_ feigned look. If she had learnt anything about Makishima Shogo in the past couple of days, it would be that he was surprisingly bad at masking his amusement or enjoyment. He was like an impatient child who couldn't contain his excitement to play.

"Keep what up for?" he echoed, the corners of his lips curling.

Akane's eye twitched. "Stalking a stranger who had only fed you breakfast on the off-chance."

"I'm sure I've already told you that you are far too interesting to leave alone," Makishima reminded her.

She took a step away from him but Makishima moved with her so the umbrella could stay over their heads. So she took another, and so did he. Akane had half a thought of running out in the rain but couldn't risk getting her eBook and Commu Device wet.

Another option would be to deck Makishima and steal his umbrella but in the end, Tsunemori Akane lived by her morals. (And the likelihood of her actually being able to land a hit on Makishima seemed pretty minute.)

"My life doesn't revolve around your amusement," she retorted.

There was a pause. Akane couldn't believe that Makishima had to actually consider whether or not she was just a piece of entertainment.

Still, the smile never faltered. "Of course not," he said finally. "I enjoy watching people bring out the splendour of their souls through their own passions. The game of life is something I love, and seeing how others play it even more-so."

His answer only made Akane raise an eyebrow. "I don't see how I'm playing my life in any spectacular way." She was one of the hundreds of training school students just getting through day by day, preparing for Sibyl career tests. There was nothing at all exceptional about her lifestyle.

Makishima took half a step closer. Akane moved back one.

"Well, of course you wouldn't need to, Akane-chan," he explained. "A lot of people have to express themselves in such an ornate way to be free, but you can have a sense of self even in the arms of Sibyl. That itself is spectacular."

Akane folded her arms. "That's unfortunate, Makishima-san. I don't have any plans on being different."

"I figured so, you're after all a busy training school student," he reasoned.

Her bus was going to arrive soon. She would like to settle things with Makishima quickly as possible and just go home and do her homework.

"Makishima-san, have you realized you hadn't actually given me many reasons to like you?" she inquired.

The steady drum of rain filled in the silence in which Makishima was trying to formulate an answer without changing his facial expression. After what seemed like half a minute, the lack of response was getting quite awkward. She really hoped his silence didn't mean that he _hadn't_ realized.

"...you must have amazing friends, Makishima-san," Akane said flatly. "Because frankly, your method of building personal relationships is quite… unique."

Makishima almost looked surprised. "I don't have any friends."

Usually if someone said they didn't have any friends, it was polite to correct them and say that they were being too pessimistic about themselves. However, Akane weighed the options and figured that _it actually made a lot of sense._

That didn't mean she had any idea how to respond to that fact so decided it would be best not to comment on it.

"Then you should know, I have no reason to want to have you as my flatmate or friend," she said firmly. "You're still a stranger to me."

This was when Makishima's smile finally wavered. "You need to know more about me?"

"I'm saying, if you are trying to become friends with someone, there has to be a sense of trust," she explained briefly. "Until you can give me any reason why I can trust you then I refuse to be familiar with you."

She then turned round, only to see her bus already parked next to the stop with all the awaiting students filing inside, in cover of the rain.

_Oh no._

Without another word to Makishima, she launched into a full sprint down the school steps. An endless wall of rain seemed to crash through her, but her eyes were fixed on the bus, which was already rumbling to a start. When she was down to the last ten steps, she picked up speed, but the puddles under her feet oiled over the next step and she slipped. The bus drove away just as she skidded gracefully to the floor.

Next time she was late for the bus, Akane reminded herself to just _wait_ for the next one.

Rain still pounded against her back as she slowly tried to crawl into a sitting position. Fortunately, she didn't feel as if anything was broken except for her dignity and evening schedule. Her arm though, was a different matter. She managed to scrape the skin against the pavement, chewing up the limb into a rough patch of bleeding red.

A pair of warm hands grasped her shoulders and a soft mutter drowned out by the pittering water. A yellow umbrella was discarded next to her.

"That's quite a graze," a painfully familiar voice ebbed into her jumbled thoughts. "You need to put some pressure on it. Do you have a handkerchief in your bag?"

"Yes," she mumbled, just a little disorientated from her short free-fall.

A flower-printed cloth was pressed tightly on top of the wound. "Hold it like this. We should go back to your school clinic," he prompted.

"The nurse has gone home," she argued.

"I know first-aid."

Akane gave him a horrified look.

"A good way to build trust, is it not?" he reasoned.

"I'd much rather go to a hospital."

Makishima nodded without much protest and helped her stand up. He picked up the umbrella again and held it over them, whilst arranging a taxi through a Commu Device he had in his pocket.

During then, Akane stared vacantly at the blood dribbling down her elbow. She remembered she once grazed her knee before, her assigned doctor at the hospital told her mother-

No wait. Akane remembered she had a problem. She was still only 17 years old.

Sibyl had a long protocol when it came to hospital visits. Forms to sign including when and where did her injuries take place, more forms concerning medicine, all which had be completed by the patient or a guardian if s/he was a minor. Akane was a minor.

She was going to have to call her parents. In which her mother will scream, her dad will go into a cardiac rest and she was going to be forced back into her parent's home even if the accident didn't happen in her apartment.

Day Three was going to be her last Day.

Unless…

"Cancel the taxi!" she blurted.

Makishima stopped talking on his Commu Device. "Excuse me?"

"I'll… I'll just clean it up my arm by myself," she said. "Sorry for the trouble, but please cancel the taxi."

He nodded, concluding his call with just a few more words. "Fine, I cancelled it. Shall we go?"

Akane wiped her damp fringe out of her face. "We?"

She didn't receive any elaboration. Makishima's just leaned closer to her face as if about to share a secret. "If you refuse," he began in a gentle voice. "I can always pick you up and carry you back to school for everyone to see."

Day Three and Akane was sure she had just got blackmailed by a homeless man.

Makishima dutifully followed her into the school building, through the winding corridors that lead to the nurse's clinic. He of course had never been there before, but moved around the room with such confidence, he could have fooled the school into thinking he had worked there for years.

He let Akane wash her arm in the sink whilst fishing out a gauze and a roll of bandages from a drawer. He then beckoned her to sit opposite him whilst he dressed her wound with ease.

"You run quite fast," Makishima abruptly commented. "I nearly lost you."

"That was somewhat the point," she deadpanned.

"Well, I don't have any intention of losing sight of you. You're going to need to try harder than that, Tsunemori Akane," he informed. "Though… throwing yourself down a staircase may be overdoing it."

She exasperated. "You know, what you're doing right now doesn't change anything between us, Makishima-san."

He looked up from his work. "I know. I'm still a stranger. But if you want, you can ask me a personal question."

"Just one question?"

"Two, if you must."

Akane rolled her eyes, it was not like she was going anywhere with Makishima still wrapping up her arm. "Okay... are you unemployed?"

His bandaging steered to a halt.

"I'm sorry?" For the first time, he looked quite taken back.

"Most adults your age would be completely swallowed up by work, seven days a week, from early morning to late evenings. The fact that you had wandered aimlessly and fell asleep outside my door, that you'd spontaneously decide to spend time with a girl you barely knew, and that you'd even go meet me outside my school is some indication that your work schedule is pretty much non-existent," she grounded out.

For a second there, Makishima looked as if he was about to laugh. The smile was growing impossibly wider with his eyes lighting up a bright gold.

He managed to stay calm by resuming focus on her arm.

"I'm… currently working at a school," he replied calmly. "As a librarian."

"Well, you do seem to enjoy literature," she admitted. "Sorry if that came out quite rudely."

"There's nothing to apologize for," he said, and grinned- not smiled, but a toothy grin which looked less graceful but more kiddish. He still looked as if he wanted to laugh.

Akane noticed that he had finished dressing her graze, but his hands were still holding her arm and he wasn't announcing that he was done. He stroked a thumb over the bandaging and slowly pulled away, resting his hands on his knees.

Admittedly, he did quite a good job wrapping her arm up- much better than Akane would have done by herself. Though she was no professional medic, she could not help think that he performed a bit too well, as if he was experienced with taking care of wounds. He did say he knew first aid.

_What kind of school librarian knows first aid?_

She frowned at him.

"Is there a problem, Akane-chan?"

"No, nothing," she said and stood up. "Thank-you for helping me, Makishima-san. You can go home now… wherever that is."

Just as Akane climbed out of her seat, another call of "Akane-chan" stopped her. Makishima reached into his pocket and placed some neatly folded bank notes on her palm.

"Use this to get a ride home. I need to go think for a bit."

"Wha-?"

"I'll see you shortly, Akane-chan."

Makishima left first, and disappeared at the next corridor. Seriously. She followed the trail which he vanished from but was only welcomed by an empty passageway.

Day Three and Akane pretty much robbed a homele- no wait, he wasn't homeless anymore, he was a school librarian. That didn't make her feel any better.

She went home by taxi instead of a bus since she was still a little damp and didn't feel like squeezing into a bus already threatening to spill out its passengers. She ended up being in conflict with whether or not to use Makishima's money, whilst she didn't like borrowing from others, not using it would mean she was giving him an excuse to come back for it. After a fifteen minute mental battle with herself, she ended up paying the taxi driver by card, Makishima's money weighing rocks in her pocket. Even when he wasn't with her he was still giving her a headache.

She practically flew up to her apartment, ordering Candy to turn on the heating at full blast. Her bandaged arm stopped her from taking a shower, so she opted for a hot bath. After she changed into some dry clothes, she felt considerably revived enough to make progress on her homework.

Not long later, Akane decided to have dinner, but before she could make an order from Candy, the Avatar abruptly bounced in front of her on its own.

"Makishima Shogo is at the door!" Candy sang. "But oh dear, it's raining outside! Should I let him in?"

That was faster than expected.

"Open the door, but don't let him into the hallway," she sighed, finding the money he gave her. She was going to settle things between them maturely, without involving more falling down staircases.

Day Three and she was breaking up with her seriously-not-real-don't-believe-him flatmate.

From the two hours that he had went to 'think for a while,' he returned with his more polite smile, rather than his slightly more cheerful expressions. Akane wondered if Makishima categorized his different smiles on purpose or if he didn't really realize that they were all different in the first place.

He folded up his yellow umbrella but made no move to put it away or take off his soaked shoes.

"Akane-chan," he greeted her. "I thought it would take longer to convince you to see me again."

"Makishima-san, thank-you for the money and for taking care of my arm," she said, returning the bank notes an outstretched arm. "That's all I wanted to see you for. At this point, I'd quite like to say good-bye."

"Well, that would be a little disappointing," he confessed, accepting the money from her. "I had hoped I could talk with you again."

"Makishima-san," she repeated again more firmly. "I thought I made it clear I wasn't interested in making friends with you. Please, I stuck to your promise and even went out to have coffee with you yesterday."

Makishima's polite smile didn't as much twitch. "Yes, I understand that my approach wasn't the best," he agreed. "I'd like to… apologize. I may have been a bit too eager to speak with you again."

An apology, it was a start.

"That's why I'd like to start over again; Tsunemori Akane, please give me a few minutes of your time a day," he proposed.

"...eh?"

"Even if it is just a short conversation, I'd like to meet you, and hopefully become friends. It can be wherever you like, at a bus stop, on your way to school, a library, anywhere and anytime your schedule could spare."

It took a while for the words to sink in. "You… want to see me for a few minutes a day, _literally _a few minutes."

"That wouldn't be too disruptive, would it?" he inquired.

Before Akane could respond, Candy materialized in between them. "Ehh you two are still standing here? Wouldn't it be more comfortable to sit inside?"

Akane slapped a hand over the hologram in a flustered motion, turning the pink octopus into nothing but a shower of pixels. She reminded herself to tweak her AI's social mechanics later.

"Well, it's not exactly disruptive," she said distractedly. "Did you… was this the reason you had to 'go think for a bit?'"

For some reason, Akane was feeling more sheepish for pointing it out than Makishima nodding at her.

She awkwardly broke eye-contact from him. "Is this how you normally socialize, Makishima-san?"

"No, this is a first," he said. "I approach my acquaintances quite differently- and that approach I felt was not suitable with you."

Nothing he had just said there made any sense to Akane. She was about to ask about his 'acquaintances' but he quickly changed subject.

"I hope you can understand that I'm not keen on talking about myself, but putting it that way, I have no right to ask about you then," he rationalized. "Still, I'm quite happy to start with small talk, books even. I'd love to discuss more with you, maybe even start with Steinbeck if you've read any of his work."

Akane had read Steinbeck. She didn't say though.

"If you're only looking to make a friend…" she hesitated for a moment, Makishima's suggested places to meet were all public areas, where there would be dozens of security cameras and police drones being available to her comfort. "...well, I can at least think about it."

The polite smile switched over and his eyes brightened up.

Without warning, Akane was enveloped into a crushing hug. As well as his lack of experience with friends, Akane assumed that hugging wasn't something he did often because the life was getting squeezed out of her and her feet were dangling off the ground.

"Makishima-san, I can't _breathe_!" she rasped.

He loosened his hold a bit. "Hugging people is such delicate work, isn't it?"

"I didn't say we're friends yet! So please let go!"

She also didn't get how he could be so strong and look so slim at the same time.

Makishima gently set her on the ground, looking quite content despite her not giving him a straightforward answer. He stood there patiently whilst she tried to compose herself. When Akane opened her mouth to say something but a deep growl interrupted her. This time, it came from her stomach. Scarlet flooded her cheeks and she turned away.

"I'll… meet you next week after school, at the café you showed me," she said briskly. "I'll tell you then."

"You seem hungry, Akane-chan," Makishima pointed out lightly. "Since I'm not as homeless as you thought, shall I take you out for dinner?"

"Please leave, before I reconsider meeting you again," she warned.

Day Three and she was organizing dates with guys already. Her dad would probably faint.

Makishima opened the door, but before he stepped out, he reached over and ruffled her hair. It was so unexpecting that Akane stood there numbly without much response.

"I'll see you in a week, Tsunemori Akane," he said, beaming grin, bright gold eyes and all.

Akane's own eyes widened a little.

"Hm, is there something wrong?"

She instantly shook her head. "Good-bye, Makishima-san," she said briskly.

Makishima didn't look quite satisfied with his lack of answer, but brushed it off and smoothed down her hair. He gave her a backward wave and hopped out of the apartment, the bright yellow umbrella blossoming over his head. Akane didn't watch him leave the floor, she shut the door and moved away from it as quickly as possible.

There was no need for Makishima to know what she just saw.

Day Three and Akane just realized that... Makishima-san had nice eyes.

* * *

**THIS ONE IS FOR YOU, WRATH.**

**Whilst this was a lot of fun, I think this will be the last Day I write of Makishima's shenanigans. Akane will have to deal with the rest of his trolol off-screen. BUT, I DO PROMISE AN EPILOGUE. AND THIS ONE WON'T TAKE FOREVER.**

**THANK-YOU FOR READING, GUYS.**

_**Pie**_


End file.
